Yeah, when I hear people use Klones, it's to fatten leads. Never heard it being used as a modern metal boost. Works quite well.

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It works really well but generally with a tighter sounding amp. or an amp with an already controlled bottom end. All it seems to do is enhance your tone rather than colour it. The archer is the tighest klone I've tried and actually seems to get tighter as you add more gain to it, I can't figure out how but the controls play off each other. This leads you to dial less in on the amp end. For this video we used the exact same amp settings to make it a level playing field.

Yeah. More focus in the high mids/treble than the center-mids like the TS9 and PD.

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Ah, yeah I agree it does have the upper mid focus a little more like an SD-1 and less so like a TS9/808. If you want a Klon-ish boost with more of a centered midrange emphasis, a Maxon OD-820 might be worth checking into. It charge pumps the voltage from 9 to 18 volts like the Klon, as well as have more of a blend gain control, where it's clean with the gain control all the way down, and blends in the gain circuit as you boost it.

It works really well but generally with a tighter sounding amp. or an amp with an already controlled bottom end. All it seems to do is enhance your tone rather than colour it. The archer is the tighest klone I've tried and actually seems to get tighter as you add more gain to it, I can't figure out how but the controls play off each other. This leads you to dial less in on the amp end. For this video we used the exact same amp settings to make it a level playing field.

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The reason it gets tighter as you add gain, I believe, is because the dual gang [or whatever it's called] distortion pot. With the distortion all the way down like you'd do with a TS style pedal, it's totally/mostly clean and just boosts what you have. As you raise it, the gain is sorta blended in while the clean is blended out. Not sure if that makes sense, but 0 out of 10 is all clean, and 10 out of 10 is all distortion, while 12:00 should be 50/50.

The reason it gets tighter as you add gain, I believe, is because the dual gang [or whatever it's called] distortion pot. With the distortion all the way down like you'd do with a TS style pedal, it's totally/mostly clean and just boosts what you have. As you raise it, the gain is sorta blended in while the clean is blended out. Not sure if that makes sense, but 0 out of 10 is all clean, and 10 out of 10 is all distortion, while 12:00 should be 50/50.

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Makes sense, if that's the case it would make sense to me that the gain on the archer is high & low passed which would explain it getting tighter.

Makes sense, if that's the case it would make sense to me that the gain on the archer is high & low passed which it gets this tightness effect.

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Possibly. You can use the gain pot to basically adjust how much or how little of that high/low pass filtering you want. Use the volume to push the front in as usual, and adjust the treble knob to adjust the tone.

I rarely even hear it used like that. It's mostly some schlub playing blues licks over a clean channel, and adjusting the knobs on the Klone.

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I could guess that due to the high price of original Klons has given these type of pedals the stigma of only being used by rich middle aged lawyers playing blues licks while the average Joe Metalhead won't be able to afford one until he becomes said rich middle aged lawyer.

It's unfair to Klones, and while I'm not one to use it as a metal boost, they do sound great for that (I own the Ikon version of the Archer and a Red Jasper OD). Hell, I brought a J Rockett Lenny over to my friend who's currently building boutique HM2 clones and was so impressed how that worked as a boost. Just goes to show that sometimes the pay off in experimenting is well worth it.

I could guess that due to the high price of original Klons has given these type of pedals the stigma of only being used by rich middle aged lawyers playing blues licks while the average Joe Metalhead won't be able to afford one until he becomes said rich middle aged lawyer.

It's unfair to Klones, and while I'm not one to use it as a metal boost, they do sound great for that (I own the Ikon version of the Archer and a Red Jasper OD). Hell, I brought a J Rockett Lenny over to my friend who's currently building boutique HM2 clones and was so impressed how that worked as a boost. Just goes to show that sometimes the pay off in experimenting is well worth it.

Oh, and all J Rockett Audio stuff is awesome.

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What a Red Jasper OD? Never heard of it.

I have a J Rockett Animal, and it definitely gets the Plexi/modded Plexi sound with my Le Clean. It's fucking amazing. I almost sold it without even trying it because it was just sitting around.

Sigh, I think I am just gonna have to buy a new SD-1 and keep it for life.

I had 4 of them at one point, all modded differently. Eventually went on a long crazy OD search thinking I would find something better, but still miss that ugly little yellow pedal after all these years, lol. It seems like no other TS based pedal brings the upper mid crunch in the same way.

Sigh, I think I am just gonna have to buy a new SD-1 and keep it for life.

I had 4 of them at one point, all modded differently. Eventually went on a long crazy OD search thinking I would find something better, but still miss that ugly little yellow pedal after all these years, lol. It seems like no other TS based pedal brings the upper mid crunch in the same way.

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Dude, if it's been good enough for Zakk Wylde for 30 years, it's good enough for you. And yeah, Zakk uses a very SLIGHTLY modded version that MXR makes him, but it's still basically the same thing. Only difference is the ZW overdrive has a tone control that's slightly revoiced.

Dude, if it's been good enough for Zakk Wylde for 30 years, it's good enough for you. And yeah, Zakk uses a very SLIGHTLY modded version that MXR makes him, but it's still basically the same thing. Only difference is the ZW overdrive has a tone control that's slightly revoiced.

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I still have a MXR Classic OD, which was the Guitar Center cheap version of the GT-OD and ZW-44.... however, there is still something magical about the original SD-1. Like I said, I had several of them at one point, but still preferred the original stock version. Something about it is just rough and gritty, that all the clones lose. They all try to smooth it out and make it more like an OD808.

I still have a MXR Classic OD, which was the Guitar Center cheap version of the GT-OD and ZW-44.... however, there is still something magical about the original SD-1. Like I said, I had several of them at one point, but still preferred the original stock version. Something about it is just rough and gritty, that all the clones lose. They all try to smooth it out and make it more like an OD808.

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It's the tone knob and where it functions frequency wise, then. If memory serves, it's in the ~3khz range, which the others try to "smooth out" by moving down a little to like ~1.5khz or so. It's the only major difference between the Wylde and SD-1 so far as I could tell.

It's the tone knob and where it functions frequency wise, then. If memory serves, it's in the ~3khz range, which the others try to "smooth out" by moving down a little to like ~1.5khz or so. It's the only major difference between the Wylde and SD-1 so far as I could tell.

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I think the asymmetrical clipping in the SD-1 makes it sound more gritty also. The 2 diodes in OD808 types is usually smoother sounding clipping.

The OD808 uses 4 Opamps, where the SD-1 uses 2 Opamps, and 2 transistor buffers instead. I am sure that makes a big difference. Interesting the TS-9 has the same 2 and 2 setup, so the OD808 is quite a bit different, than even a TS-9.

Also, the RC combo in the SD-1 starts rolling off the high end at about 880hz, where the TS-9 starts rolling off about 720hz. So, the SD-1 has more upper mids in general.

I have thought about buying a cheap TS clone and modding the high end roll off to about 1400hz, for the metallic clank frequencies, lol.

I think the asymmetrical clipping in the SD-1 makes it sound more gritty also. The 2 diodes in OD808 types is usually smoother sounding clipping.

The OD808 uses 4 Opamps, where the SD-1 uses 2 Opamps, and 2 transistor buffers instead. I am sure that makes a big difference. Interesting the TS-9 has the same 2 and 2 setup, so the OD808 is quite a bit different, than even a TS-9.

Also, the RC combo in the SD-1 starts rolling off the high end at about 880hz, where the TS-9 starts rolling off about 720hz. So, the SD-1 has more upper mids in general.

I have thought about buying a cheap TS clone and modding the high end roll off to about 1400hz, for the metallic clank frequencies, lol.

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That too, but I was comparing a more "apples to apples" pedal like the ZW to the SD-1.

I think the asymmetrical clipping in the SD-1 makes it sound more gritty also. The 2 diodes in OD808 types is usually smoother sounding clipping.

The OD808 uses 4 Opamps, where the SD-1 uses 2 Opamps, and 2 transistor buffers instead. I am sure that makes a big difference. Interesting the TS-9 has the same 2 and 2 setup, so the OD808 is quite a bit different, than even a TS-9.

Also, the RC combo in the SD-1 starts rolling off the high end at about 880hz, where the TS-9 starts rolling off about 720hz. So, the SD-1 has more upper mids in general.

I have thought about buying a cheap TS clone and modding the high end roll off to about 1400hz, for the metallic clank frequencies, lol.

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That's a crazy easy mod, I would recommend that for sure if you want a bit more brightness. All you need to do is change the resistor in the LPF after the gain stage. Just a warning, you need a decent amount of low pass to get the harshness from the clipping out. I personally recommend putting a trimpot in there as a variable resistor so you can adjust the brightness to preference for you setup. Asymmetrical clipping should also give you more upper mid chunkyness and less compression (as well as more volume).

But even with those mods it will still sound like a tubescreamer, I would recommend changing a value or two on the tone control to get more aggression if that's what you are after. Also changing the 4.7k resistor connecting to ground (lowering it if I remember correctly) in the gain stage can get you some extra aggression by clipping more top end than low end. You might want to compensate with some more post-gain bass afterwords in the tone section if it gets too thin.

Thanks for the vid. Seems pretty subtle yet still noticeable.
As a long time TS808 owner, I'm still not sure if it would be worth it for me to upgrade to a Precision Drive (I also have an eye on the SD 805 Overdrive).
Hmmm, I'd love to hear more opinions on these.

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The 805 is surf green!

I put it up against my friend's Ibanez 808. With the EQ on the 805 flat, it sounds a lot like the 808 with the tone at about 2:00. It was a quick comparison, but enough that it is clear that the 805 is essentially an 808 with a 3-band EQ. I usually run mine with the level at 3:00, bass and mids just past noon, treble just before noon, and drive at about 9:00.

That's a crazy easy mod, I would recommend that for sure if you want a bit more brightness. All you need to do is change the resistor in the LPF after the gain stage. Just a warning, you need a decent amount of low pass to get the harshness from the clipping out. I personally recommend putting a trimpot in there as a variable resistor so you can adjust the brightness to preference for you setup. Asymmetrical clipping should also give you more upper mid chunkyness and less compression (as well as more volume).

But even with those mods it will still sound like a tubescreamer, I would recommend changing a value or two on the tone control to get more aggression if that's what you are after. Also changing the 4.7k resistor connecting to ground (lowering it if I remember correctly) in the gain stage can get you some extra aggression by clipping more top end than low end. You might want to compensate with some more post-gain bass afterwords in the tone section if it gets too thin.

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Yeah, I have looked into it before. Even a small change should make a dramatic difference. Going from 1K to 500 ohms will make the roll off go from 720 hz to 1450hz or so. That might be kind of dramatic, so I am sure even somewhere in that range, like 700 ohm or so might work well.

I love the Tubescreamer sound, but it just seems like many of them are going for the smooth, neutral type thing. I have several of those, and I kind of want something more obnoxious. I use my Green Rhino for this sound now with the tone cranked, and the curve at minimum. I thought it might be a fun experiment to see just how metallic and crunchy I could get one to sound, without being grating or harsh. Think older Meshuggah DEI type crunch sound. I am currently using a Recto and a PRS, so some more brightness and upper mids help.

I put it up against my friend's Ibanez 808. With the EQ on the 805 flat, it sounds a lot like the 808 with the tone at about 2:00. It was a quick comparison, but enough that it is clear that the 805 is essentially an 808 with a 3-band EQ. I usually run mine with the level at 3:00, bass and mids just past noon, treble just before noon, and drive at about 9:00.